Car won't start but is ticking over

brandscill

Active Member
Sep 29, 2016
14
0
Hi all and happy new year!

I've not been able to drive my Ibiza for about three weeks due to an emergency operation and then some recovery time.

When I came to use the car yesterday I noticed the battery had gone flat. I removed it and charged it yesterday and this morning put it back together.

When trying to start the car I can hear it cranking or turning over (sorry not sure on the right terminology) but it won't actually start.

After a short while it starts beeping at me. Usual lights on the dash prior to starting so nothing obvious there. Changed sparks perhaps a year or so ago.

Any ideas? Could it be the battery just isn't delivering enough even after being charged and just wants to be replaced?
 

RADIOTWO

Active Member
Mar 6, 2018
486
93
North Derbyshire
Hi all and happy new year!

I've not been able to drive my Ibiza for about three weeks due to an emergency operation and then some recovery time.

When I came to use the car yesterday I noticed the battery had gone flat. I removed it and charged it yesterday and this morning put it back together.

When trying to start the car I can hear it cranking or turning over (sorry not sure on the right terminology) but it won't actually start.

After a short while it starts beeping at me. Usual lights on the dash prior to starting so nothing obvious there. Changed sparks perhaps a year or so ago.

Any ideas? Could it be the battery just isn't delivering enough even after being charged and just wants to be replaced?
Hi and happy new year to you, cannot answer what your problem is but have you tried jumping it off another car ?
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
I'd think that if it did not start relatively quickly, then the beeping warning would be just a low oil pressure alert.

In modern VW Group cars, the oil pressure monitoring is inhibited until the engine has started, there will be only a short time period of it being inhibited, so if the engine did not start, then this inhibit period will have run out - and so it was alerting you to dangerously low oil pressure, which is okay as the engine has not yet started, so don't worry about that.

I can't say why it didn't start, if the battery is still able to be recharged and crank it over at the usual speed - it is able to turn it over at the normal speed, is it not?

While recharging that battery again maybe, I'd be removing the spark plugs just in case they are now wet with fuel - which engine does that car have?

Happy New Year to you!

Edit:- checking your profile I see that you have a 1.4 probably the old 16V non turbo engine, they are normally extremely reliable, so I never had any issues with a car with that engine, hopefully some other 1.4 16V owner will jump in with ideas.

Another Edit:- it might help a bit if you edited this thread title to "turning" from "ticking".
 
Last edited:

martin j.

Active Member
Feb 11, 2007
1,996
889
Fife
If you have flooded the plugs, try cranking it with the throttle held to the floor and if it catches keep it may idle badly for a bit until the plugs heat and burn clean.
Is it possible the immobiliser is on, did you refit the battery and then shut up the car and lock it, then openas normal to try and start it?
 

Troubs12

Active Member
May 30, 2020
11
2
From the sounds of it the battery isn’t up to it I’d try jumping it with another car and jump leads before pulling any parts off. This time of year is a killer for batteries it might be past the point of no return. How old it the battery itself? If it’s an older battery then you might find it’ll charge up to 12v no problem but as soon as load as it’s loaded it’ll give up.

Jump start and a good drive should sort it out or at least give you an answer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Rusty2k

Active Member
May 12, 2013
709
131
Another vote for battery here. Being flat after 3 weeks sitting is a big red flag there.

As said try jumping or starting with a known good battery.
 
Adrian Flux insurance services - discount for forum members.